Color image forming apparatus having multiple developing devices

Abstract

In a color image forming apparatus in which multiple developing devices housing toners of different colors are held by support members at prescribed locations on a rotatable support unit, a guide member is mounted to one side end of each developing device, engaging members having different configurations are disposed in the guide members, and the multiple developing devices are placed at prescribed locations on a the rotatable support unit by having the engaging members of the guide members mounted to adjacent developing devices engage with each other, enabling each developing device to be placed on the prescribed support member easily while using developing devices having a uniform configuration.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A color image forming apparatus in which multiple developing devices housing toners of different colors are held by support members at prescribed locations on a rotatable support unit, and which performs development by rotating the rotatable support unit to sequentially lead each of the multiple developing devices to a position facing an image carrier, comprising: 
       guide member which are mounted to one side end of each of the multiple developing devices; and  
       engaging members of different configurations are disposed in each guide member, such that each of the multiple developing devices is held by one of the support members at a prescribed location on the rotatable support unit through engagement of the engaging members of the guide members mounted to adjacent developing devices.  
     
     
       2. The color image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus includes a positioning member which determines positioning for at least one developing device such that it is placed on its corresponding support member on the rotatable support unit when the multiple developing devices are placed on the support members at prescribed locations on the rotatable support unit. 
     
     
       3. A color image forming apparatus in which multiple developing devices housing toners of different colors are held by support members at prescribed locations on a rotatable support unit, and which performs development by rotating the rotatable support unit to sequentially lead each of the multiple developing devices to a position facing an image carrier, wherein such apparatus comprising: 
       guide members which are mounted to one side of each developing device;  
       a first engaging member which is disposed in the guide member mounted to a first developing device;  
       a second engaging member for engaging with the first engaging member, which is mounted to a second developing device adjacent to the first developing device;  
       a third engaging member which is disposed in the guide member mounted to the second developing device and has a different configuration from the first and second engaging members;  
       a fourth engaging member for engaging with the third engaging member which is mounted to a third developing device adjacent to the second developing device; and  
       a support unit for holding the multiple developing devices at prescribed locations on the rotatable support unit through the engagement of the first and second engaging members and the third and fourth engaging members.  
     
     
       4. The color image forming apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said apparatus includes a positioning member which determines positioning for the first developing device such that it is placed on its corresponding support member on the rotatable support unit when the multiple developing devices are placed on the support members at prescribed locations on the rotatable support unit. 
     
     
       5. The color image forming apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said apparatus includes a positioning member which determines positioning for the second developing device such that it is placed on its corresponding support member on the rotatable support unit when the multiple developing devices are placed on the support members at prescribed locations on the rotatable support unit. 
     
     
       6. The color image forming apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the second and fourth engaging members are disposed in the guide members. 
     
     
       7. The color image forming apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the guide members in which the first through fourth engaging members are disposed are detachably mountable to a developing device. 
     
     
       8. A color image forming apparatus in which four developing devices, first through fourth developing devices, housing toners of different colors are held by support members at prescribed locations on a rotatable support unit, and which performs development by rotating the rotatable support unit to sequentially lead each developing device to a position facing an image carrier, wherein such apparatus comprising: 
       guide members mounted to one side end of each of the developing devices;  
       a first engaging member which is disposed in the guide member mounted to the first developing device;  
       a second engaging member which is disposed in the guide member mounted to the second developing device adjacent to the first developing device and for engaging with the first engaging member;  
       a third engaging member which is disposed in the guide member mounted to the second developing device and has a different configuration from the first and second engaging members;  
       a fourth engaging member which is disposed in the guide member mounted to the third developing device adjacent to the second developing device and for engaging with the third engaging member;  
       a fifth engaging member which is disposed in the guide member mounted to the third developing device and has a different configuration from the first through fourth engaging members;  
       a sixth engaging member which is disposed in the guide member mounted to the fourth developing device adjacent to the third developing device and for engaging with the fifth engaging member;  
       a seventh engaging member which is disposed in the guide member mounted to the fourth developing device and has a different configuration from the first through sixth engaging members;  
       an eighth engaging member which is disposed in the guide member mounted to the first developing device adjacent to the fourth developing device and for engaging with the seventh engaging member; and  
       and support members which hold the four developing devices at prescribed locations on the rotatable support unit through the engagement of the first and second engaging members, the third and fourth engaging members, the fifth and sixth engaging members and the seventh and eighth engaging members.  
     
     
       9. The color image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said apparatus includes a positioning member which determines positioning for the first developing device such that it is placed on its corresponding support member on the rotatable support unit when the multiple developing devices are placed on the support members at prescribed locations on the rotatable support unit. 
     
     
       10. The color image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the guide members in which the first through fourth engaging members are disposed are detachably mountable to a developing device. 
     
     
       11. A method for manufacturing developing devices used in a color image forming apparatus in which guide members are mounted to one side end of each of multiple developing devices housing toners of different colors, engaging members having different configurations are disposed in the guide members, each developing device is held by a support member at a prescribed location on a rotatable support unit through the engagement of the engaging members of the guide members mounted to adjacent developing devices, and development is performed by sequentially leading each developing device to a position facing an image carrier through rotation of the rotatable support unit, said method having the steps of: 
       placing a toner of a prescribed color in a toner holder of each developing device; and  
       mounting a guide member having engaging members for that color to a prescribed area of the developing device.  
     
     
       12. The developing device manufacturing method according to  claim 11 , wherein said method also includes the step of cleaning toner remaining in the developing device before placing toner therein.